If You Build it, Keep it Up

Monday, will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas wrote a blog post for AdAge entitled “What Does ‘Communiting’ Mean???” In the post, he challenges marketers to make conversations, not ads. I couldn’t agree more.

As he notes, and all PR pros know, we have been and are in the midst of a major shift in the way businesses communicate with their target audiences, and vice versa.

He analogizes the similarities to the 1600s race to discover the new world, placing the major US-founded global technology companies in the roles of world-conquering European countries; “the ocean is the internet and computers and software are the ships…”

This change in the strategies and tactics employed to communicate spreads beyond PR/business, and this shift is evident in daily global news – political unrest, calls for government restructuring, economic debates, etc.

The post includes an important observation: the TV and film industries are currently reverting to remakes and reinventions. The art of creating is laking.

[Proper and strategic] Communication is essential for creation, invention, preparation and success.

There is a growing number of businesses whose mission is to build communities to discuss relevant and/or their product(s)/service(s). Keeping the conversation engaging, interactive, interesting, and relevant is key.

As will.i.am notes:

“today..

to have a business…

you need to go where the people are…

people have the power to kill brands or make them a success…”

Rather than attempting to overthrow that power, allow it to be used in your advantage. Provide a platform/space for conversations about you/your business, and make sure to contribute, empower, manage and expand those discussions.

“in the intersection of people and companys in a conversation is where COMMERCE is found.”

Make it a point to build those communities and conversations, and keep it up.